So i only had my bees for about a month now and decided to purchased a new flow hive just over a week ago and have recently moved the bees into the new box, The old box had ten frames with a fall super and the new box is a 8 frame with the flow frames.
I movet over about 3 days ago and today they swamed but lucky enough for me they come back to the hive in about 30 mins so I took the chance to split them so now I have two hive, hahah well that didn't take long at all.
I'm guessing to why they swarmed is because the new hive was smaller and also the super was not ready to use as they have not drawn comb out on them frames yet and they were using the brood nest as a honey store so the queen could not lay anymore eggs.
Well that was a good lesson early on in my journey as a beekeeper hopefully I will not make the same mistake again

Hi Jake the hive looks interesting can you keep us posted how it goes as I have heard some people have been having trouble with the bees swarming something to do with gap between the frames is to narrow. They have gone back to the old box hives . Dave

Hi Jake the hive looks interesting can you keep us posted how it goes as I have heard some people have been having trouble with the bees swarming something to do with gap between the frames is to narrow. They have gone back to the old box hives . Dave

Hi Jake, not sure this is the result of the flow hive but rather a sudden change in space from a 10F to 8F box.

There's plenty of room for bees to move between the flow frames. But it is the brood box where the decisions are made (where there are no flow frames).

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The bees seem to be taking to the flow frame nicely, they have started filling the gaps with wax and started storing honey.
I think the reason they swamed is that the flow frame where not ready to store honey yet so they where storing in the brood nest, so the queen had no space to lay eggs.

The bees seem to be taking to the flow frame nicely, they have started filling the gaps with wax and started storing honey.
I think the reason they swamed is that the flow frame where not ready to store honey yet so they where storing in the brood nest, so the queen had no space to lay eggs.

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curious, did the bees actually create a swarm or were they simply flying around crazy for a half-hour?

the frames themselves won't define the activity of the bees when it comes to swarming. If the frames aren't 'ready' or good enough to store honey, they simply won't do it. I think you may be suggesting that they had honey ready to store but no place to store it; which may not be entirely correct. They'll use that honey to create the wax necessary to prepare the flow frames. Unless there's a flow on and they simply have more honey coming in than they can handle.

it is also suggested to place a thin layer of (melted) wax over the flow frames to entice the bees and get them started. Not always necessary but some folk have had better success with this approach when areas of the frames are left untouched entirely.

anyway, good to see they're taking to the frames.

i would also add as a cheeky 'ps': just be aware that placing a hive next to a fence may upset neighbours and the local council. If you haven't already, I suggest checking in with these folk to remove disappointment and an unexpected hive move, later.

I'm pretty sure they swamed, they created a large cluster of bees in the tree above but then around 30mins later decided to come back to the hive, they were covering the hive like a blanket at that point I decided to shake the bees off into the old hive box full of empty frames.
I did paint some melted wax on the flow frames before I put them in but only had enough wax to do 5 of them the two outside ones did not get any wax but I just open up today and they are starting to wax up the spaces in the flowframe to prepare it.
I checked with all my surrounding neighbours before I got the bees if they would be alright with bees and all of them were happy to have them, I also give them free honey when I get some, I live near quite a few oldies that love gardening so I think that's why none of them really are bothered about the bees.

I also removed 2 brood frames with some food store from the flow hive to the swarm hive and put two empty ones in the flow hive in hopes to free up some space the the brood nest in the flow hive and also to give to swarm hive some resources and soon to be hatched brood.

It also looks like some bees are bearding on the bottom of the screen bottom board is this because there are still too many bees in the hive?, Are the bees just slowly finding their way back to the original hive? the swarm hive seems to have quite a few bees in it so I'm not quite sure what to think, any idea?

Waiting to see how it goes for you. I too am interested in getting one.
I just picked up a Langstroth Long. Hoping it works out so I don’t have to pick up heavy boxes anymore or store spare boxes.
It does have legs which will be attached when I get it home.

I also removed 2 brood frames with some food store from the flow hive to the swarm hive and put two empty ones in the flow hive in hopes to free up some space the the brood nest in the flow hive and also to give to swarm hive some resources and soon to be hatched brood.

It also looks like some bees are bearding on the bottom of the screen bottom board is this because there are still too many bees in the hive?, Are the bees just slowly finding their way back to the original hive? the swarm hive seems to have quite a few bees in it so I'm not quite sure what to think, any idea?

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Sometimes when a hive swarms they stay close a short while before flying off. This happened to me. Check for a queen. A great site to learn about bees is Kaymon Reynolds, Tennessee Bees.